Tyson: A stunt that went wrong

Wednesday 23 January 2002 00:00 BST

Mike Tyson claimed today that his brawl with Lennox Lewis was a publicity stunt that went wrong.

The sad inevitability of the whole affair was confirmed when bookmakers William Hill began paying out to punters who had taken odds of only 2-1 that the two men would come to blows before their scheduled world title fight.

Tyson and Lewis traded punches at a news conference in New York, called to confirm that the two sworn enemies will fight for the heavyweight crown in Las Vegas on 6 April.

Lewis later claimed that Tyson bit him on the inner thigh and Tyson had cuts on his head.

The confrontation began when bodyguards intervened as Tyson walked menacingly towards Lewis but today the American said he had approached the champion in a prearranged act of hype.